Choose your sweetheart!
by Shandra23
Summary: Hermione finds herself in an awkward spot -or better spot-light. But who will be her sweetheart? Candidate one with the silky voice, candidate two with the gentle soul or rather candidate three the wild but charming bad boy?


**Title: **Choose your sweetheart **  
Summary: **Hermione finds herself in an awkward spot -or better spot-light. But who will be her sweetheart? Candidate one with the silky voice, candidate two with the gentle soul or rather candidate three the wild but charming bad boy? **  
Category:** Romance/Humor **  
Rating: **PG**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, and no copyright infringement is intended; not making any money, but they are fun to play with.

**Choose your sweetheart**

„And now my dear Hermione, it's nearly time for you to choose. Only two questions are left to be answered and then, we will know who your sweetheart will be!" A man with a booming voice pronounced to a wildly clapping and whistling audience. He looked suspiciously like Albus Dumbledore, with his twinkling eyes, flowing robes and unmistakable beard.

"Now let's take a little resume," The Dumbledore-lookalike pronounced and turned halfway around.

Hermione noticed that she was standing in the middle of the Quidditch stadium, which was filled out completely. She could watch herself on giant screens all around the place, like Victor Krum during the Quidditch finals in her forth year.

It was scary.

She was wearing a short fitting dress grown in a deep crimson colour, her hair was falling down her back in glossy curls and she was smiling wildly.

That was scary too.

"Will it be candidate one," Dumbledore asked and only now, the curly haired witch noticed the three cabins behind her headmaster. All perfectly similar in dark wood with Gryffindor red curtains. "The clever, cunning man with the silky voice, who would like nothing more, than to take you with him on his search for rare potions ingredients? Or will it be candidate two," Albus continued after the cheering crowd calmed a bit down. "The kind and gentle soul, who would love to charm you with poetry on long, cold nights in front of a fireplace?"

Again the crowd howled and clapped in ecstasy, while Hermione was still wondering what she was doing here. But the longer she listened to the headmaster, the lesser she worried about the why or the how. What was there other to worry about, than the three bachelors behind the curtains and the important decision she had to made.

Who would be her sweetheart?

"Or will it be candidate three? The loyal, passionate and devilishly handsome bad boy, who would like to take you an a ride with his bike?"

Unsurprisingly the crowd showed its rapture a third time, while Hermione suddenly felt a heavy weight on her shoulders.

Which one should she choose?

She loved the silky voice of candidate one. He shared her passion of potions and had answered her questions satisfyingly so far. But he also seemed a bit grumpy and had snarled his answers more often than not. Could she really date someone who appeared to not caring much about others?

Candidate two had also a lot with her in common. They both liked to read, taking long walks in the afternoon and he shared her love for chocolate chips. All in all he seemed to be a nice decent guy. Maybe a little too shy and hesitant. A little too much like herself.

Ahh...and candidate three, who seemed to have nothing in common with her at first glance. But his passionate and a little careless character, stirred her own hidden desire for adventures. However, maybe she was looking for someone a little more stable.

"Before we come to your questions, answer one for us, my dear Hermione. I'm sure everyone here is anxious to know, if you already have a favourite?"

Sighing she shook her head. "No. It's so hard. They all have something that speaks for them and also some habits or views that speak against them."Biting her lip she sneaked a look at the cabins. "I think I really must ask my last questions!"

Most of the audience agreed with her, but some blocks seemed to have made up their minds already and were screaming for their candidate and why she should take him.

"Then my dear, ask away!" Albus allowed and summoned the viewers to calm down, so that she could start.

"Alright," She started and looked at her neatly written questions on the card before her. She had spent long sleepless nights to find the right questions. Now it was on them, to give her the right answers. "Candidate two. If you would try to surprise me with a nice candle night dinner, where would you take me? And what would be your choice for dessert?"

"I would surprise you with a good home cooked meal and a bottle of red vine, after a long day of work. Dessert would be something with chocolate of course. Preferablycake or mousse au chocolate."

Good answer, she thought. Specially the chocolate part. Vine was good, though she preferred white vine to red.

The block who was cheering for number two, did its best to show that, as loud as possible.

"Thank you, Candidate two. Number one, what is your answer?" She turned her eyes to his cabin, although it was impossible to see anything, that would have given him away.

"My choice would of course be a exquisite little restaurant in Italy or France, with a delicious three course meal. Naturally dessert would be ladies choice." His silky voice flowed over to her and made her shiver.

His answer was classic, but it lacked a little on the creativity from number one. After all he would stand the whole evening in the kitchen, to made a meal for her. Going out was always nice, but it wasn't very individual.

"Candidate three, what would be your surprise for me?" Hermione asked, anxious for the last answer.

"Easy love," He downright purred. Maybe she had underestimated _his _voice? "I would take you for a ride with my bike into the hills, where we would have a nice picnic while we watch the sunset."

His answer triggered an explosion of Ohhh, Ahhhhs and ecstatic screams. Some women even tried to get over the crush barriers, probably with the intention to reach his cabin. But the security men on their brooms were quick to whisk them away.

Hermione waited a few seconds till the crowd had calmed down a bit before she repeated her question.

"And what about dessert?"

The throaty laugh which left his cabin forced her to squirm slightly on her chair, but it was his answer, that made her cheeks flush.

"You love, would be the dessert!"

This time it took minutes for the security to tame the hysterical women and even some men in the stands. It gave her enough time to compose herself. Even if only a little.

This round was his. Definitely!

She wished the screens wouldn't show her face none stop, but of course they did and everybody was able to see her flushed face. With a shaky hand she composed her hair and twitched slightly on her grown. It fit perfect, but old habits die hard and she needed something for her fingers to do when she was nervous.

"That was definitely an answer worth hearing. Wouldn't you agree, my dear?"

Dumbledore had taken the lead again and Hermione was astonished to see a slight shade of pink on his cheeks. At least it was nice to know, that she wasn't the only one who tended to blush.

"But now, let's hear your last question before we will finally meet your sweetheart!"

Slowly she looked down on her card. There it was. The last and all dominant question, which answer would hopefully help, her to make one of the hardest decisions of her life! It wasn't something someone should take casual.

It was an easy question, but somehow it seemed fitting and important. Hermione was sure, it would tell her a lot about the persons behind the curtains.

Calming her nerves, she took a deep breath and asked with a clear voice: "If you would be an animal, which one would you be? And why? Candidate one?"

"A snake. Like me it is clever and cunning." His answer was short and to the point. Pity. She would have liked to hear his voice a little longer.

One of the screens was showing the crowed now. The picture was finally dwelling on a group of beautiful witches who were blowing kisses, winked and smiled cheesy smiles in the direction of the tree bachelors who couldn't see any of it.

"Very well, candidate three?"

"A dog, cause he is loyal and good-natured like me," Number three laughed. "He can be your best friend as well as your guardian and will never abandon you, if you manage to gain his love."

Hermione could just feel herself melting on the spot. Not for the first time tonight, but anyway. She had a feeling, it had been the best decision of the life to take part in this show.

"And candidate two, what would your animal be?"

There was a slight hesitation before he answered but she shrugged it of quickly.

"A wolf!" He finally answered. "I'm a family guy and he needs his pack."

Again she could understand the Uhing and Ahing witches in the crowd. What witch didn't look for a man who was fond of a family? Wild and charming was good and fine, but a witch liked to know that her man was ready to settle down with her, if she asked.

Her last two questions had indeed helped her to see things a little bit clearer, but it was still hard.

"Miss Granger, the last two hours have been funny, revealing and heart-melting," Albus declared in his best _new years welcome speech_. The sonorous charm, easily over-toned the uproarious onlookers and he continued. "I'm sure you've put some careful thought in your questions and will come to the right decision tonight. But we all know it will be hard. So use your last minutes to reconsider everything one last time before you will tell us, who the lucky guy will be who is allowed to spend a whole weekend in a luxury little ski lodge with you. The lodge is provided with everything you two might need and as a special gift, we will present you with a romantic cart-ride. Two Pegasi will not only take you on a ride in the winter-wonderland on the ground but also in the sky."

The former smiling and winking witches on the screen, now all looked slightly envious in her direction, but Hermione could care less.

She had to make a decision. What if she choose wrong?

What if he didn't like her?

What if her weekend was going a catastrophe?

What if her Mr. Right was one of the two she wouldn't choose?

What if there wasn't something like a Mr. Right for her at all?

Hermione barely heard Dumbledore, as he outlined every single of candidate again for the crowd who cheered, whistled, howled and screamed as if there was now tomorrow. Apparently the people couldn't decide on a favourite.

It seemed barely seconds had passed, as he approached her again, also she knew it had been minutes. Was she really ready?

Oh Merlin...what if she felled the wrong decision?!

"Now Hermione, it is time for you to tell us...I'm sure the gentlemen are as curious as we are to hear your decision." The winkling spark in the headmasters eye wasn't lost by her. Apparently he had the time of his life, while she was suffering form last doubts.

"Okay, so please tell us now, who is the first who should go?"

Taking a deep breath she nodded. "It wasn't easy, believe me, but the first one who must go is..." She stopped. "He should know, that I find him sweet, kind-hearted and quiet clever and I'm sure a lot of women out there, would kill to get a date with him. But I believe we are two much alike. So sadly, it is candidate number two who I must bid good-bye."

As if she had pushed a button the crowd started to yell and whistle. Both in agreement as well as anger. Not everyone was pleased with her decision.

"Okay, Miss Granger. Then let's see. With whom will you miss the chance, to get better acquainted!"

After he finished, the red curtain from cabin number two was lifted and out came...

"Witches and Wizards" Albus voice boomed loud over the place. "May I introduce Mr. Remus Lupin!"

"Oh..." Hermione sighed as she looked at the tall man, who was now making his way up to her. He possessed sandy brown hair, a nice smile and the softest pair of eyes that she had ever seen. His sense for fashion was apparently as underdeveloped as her own, if his black lacks and simple blue shirt was anything to go for.

She smiled and stood up to embrace him and give him a kiss on the cheek. It was a pity, but she knew her words were true.

"The home-made meal still stands, if your sweetheart won't hold what he promised." He whispered in her ear and than with a wink he was gone.

A little taken aback but none the less a little more confident about the outcome of this show, she looked at the two cabins which were still barred with the curtains.

By now the crowd had split in to groups. The first group was testifying its loyalty for candidate number one with loud whistles and shouts, while group two was supporting her favourite -candidate number three- with Mexican waves and hysterical screams.

"Ladies and Gentlemen we've all waited eagerly for this moment. Who will the fetching Miss Granger choose? Candidate one with the challenging hobby and the silky voice, letting the sharpest words sound like the sweetest compliment? Or will it be candidate two? The devilish-handsome man with sense for sin and adventures, but is in possession of a loyal soul?"

Oh Dumbledore wasn't making it easy. That was for sure!

"Miss Granger please enlighten us!" From somewhere she could hear a drum roll while the crowd had fallen silent. Nobody wanted to miss her answer.

"After careful consideration," she gulped. "I-I..." Oh now she couldn't back out now. "After careful consideration I've decided that my sweetheart will be, candidate number...Three!" There it was out!

She had made her decision.

She tried her best to blend out the sheer over-powering sounds, which came form the ranks and fixed her eyes on curtain number one.

"Witches and-" This time the sonorous charm seemed to have difficulties to penetrate through the screaming crowd. "Witches and wizards! Before the identity of Miss Grangers sweetheart will be lifted, let us see who slipped through her delicate little fingers!" Dumbledore tried louder and at least she was able to hear his words. "It's a pleasure to introduce you to Professor Severus Snape!"

The man that was strolling in her direction with fluttering black robes was the except opposite of candidate number two. He was tall, slender with thin black hair which covered most of his face. Never the less it wasn't enough to hide an enormous nose, which he had contorted in a very unbecoming sneer.

Hermione Granger wasn't one who would call her self vain. She believed in inner beauty, but it was hard to find in a person, who apparently wasted a lot of energy to hide it.

At first it seemed as if he would just rush out without giving her the chance to say good bye but than, he changed his direction. A smile-like gesture was appearing in his face, which made her raise her eye-brows suspicious.

"Ah...Miss Granger." He purred with his best silk voice and grasped her hand to kiss her knuckles. "A poor choice but I haven't expected anything less."

She gasped and pulled her hand away. The nerve of that man!

"Ah, no reason to get your knickers in a twist, sweetheart!" He stretched the last word and smiled slightly. "I think you know where to find me, when you passionate dog breaks your heart!"

She was about to give him a piece of her mind, but before she got the chance to even open her mouth he had left.

"And now!" Dumbledores voice reminded her that she should be happy to finally meet her sweetheart, instead to fret about some sneaky idiot.

No, she should congratulate herself. Apparently she had mad the right decision,.

"Are you ready to meet your sweetheart, my dear? Ready or not. Here is your sweetheart. Mister..."

Hermione could just feel how every single soul around her, hold his breath with her. She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest.

This was the moment she had been waiting for.

"...Sirius Black!"

Out of the cabin came one hell of a man.

Suddenly her throat was dry like a desert and she the booming sounds of the crowd just blanked out.

He was tall like the other two. With black hair, like Snape. But his was falling to his shoulders in smooth and silky locks. Apparently he believed in his bad boy biker image, cause he was wearing leather pants, biker boots and a black leather jacket over a snug fitting shirt. Not that she was complaining.

She could see the beginning of several tattoos on the part of his skin which weren't covered and it made her anxious to see more of them.

The smile on his face was smug, but none the less quiet charming.

Hermione was standing there like some retarded woman, but all she could do was stare, as he was making his way over to her.

And before she had time to worry about finding the right words, he had reached her. Without pausing for even a second she was swept up in his arms and he kissed her, right before the eyes of the hooting crowd.

And what a kiss it was.

Lips, tongue, teeth. Everything was perfect to the point of his hands around her and his spicy after-shave intoxicating her senses. Merlin, what a way to say hello! She could get used to this.

That was until a penetrate buzzing was killing the atmosphere. It was getting louder and louder till...

***

"What in Merlins name..." Moaning Hermione turned around. Sleepy and with unsteady hands she reached out, to turn the alarm off. Never before had she hated the piece of muggle technology so much.

Circe, Merlin and Morgan she had had one of those strange dreams again.

Maybe Ginny was right and she should slow down a bit. The stress of working in a full-time job and watching over all the necessary arrangements at the same time was killing her.

Let alone Rita Skeeter and her nasty articles. Maybe it was time to send her a nice little jar with the morning owl.

The never ending line of people, questioning her decision surely wasn't helping.

Snorting she turned around in her bed. Since when was she famous for spontaneous decisions? Nobody had thought about her decision as often and thoughtfully as she had. Thankfully the people who mattered knew her and where happy for her.

"What's the matter, love?"

"Nothing, Sirius. Get back to sleep!" She mumbled and cuddled into his side.

The last thing she noticed before she fell asleep again, was the muscled arm of her fiancé, who pulled her closer into his warm body.

Life was good. After all she had finally found her sweetheart.

**End**

* * *

A/N: Please be nice. I'm still no native speaker, but I'm writing more and more in english to train myself.

I'm currently writing on a longer HP fanfic. Also with a Hermione/Sirius pairing, but this little one-shot wormed its way into my brain and I needed it out of my system. I had much fun writing it and all of you have hopefully a good time reading it.

If I was able, to put a little smile on your face, somewhere along the line, I did something right.^^

Of course I'm as happy about a review, as any other author on this side.^^


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